


But, Doesn't Everyone Feel That Way?

by TeenCaterpillar



Series: Debunking Derry [2]
Category: IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: And He's Too Dumb To Realize It, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Crossover, Freshman Year, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, I'm too lazy to make OCs, M/M, Pre Debunking Derry, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Sexuality Crisis, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-21 14:02:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21076079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeenCaterpillar/pseuds/TeenCaterpillar
Summary: “You’re whipped, Richie,” Lucas replied. “So I’m not worried.” Richie looked at him, confused.“Huh?”“You,” Max said, pointing at him, “Are. Whipped.” She made a whip cracking noise, giggling with Lucas. There was a joke here he was missing.“By who? My imaginary girlfriend?” Richie held out his hands, truly at a loss. Lucas gave him a weird face, snorting.“Girlfriend?”“Hey!” Richie scoffed, offended. “I could have a girlfriend! I date!”





	But, Doesn't Everyone Feel That Way?

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my Debunking Derry universe. Just wanted to write some cute shit. But like, relate it. Sooooo here we go. Not even sorry about it.
> 
> Anyway, I'm also obsessed with Harringrove and gave myself a gift by crossing over.
> 
> Unbeta'd
> 
> There's not _explicit_ Reddie, but it is what happens.

“I am _not_, I repeat, _not_ spending my entire fucking break playing video games!” Eddie’s voice was tinny through the computer, but just as angry as Richie remembered. They were face timing, had a standing date every week for it, and Richie was trying to convince Eddie that, yes, playing Street Fighter and Smash _was_ the absolute best way to spend Thanksgiving break.

“Eddie,” Richie whined, “Come on! It’s not like your mom will let you do anything else!”

“Fuck you! I’ll do whatever I want!” Eddie was all fury on the screen and it made Richie’s heart stutter. He smiled.

“It’s how we spent the summer after graduation,” he pointed out, knowing that he was going to lose this battle, but not particularly caring. It was just fun to get Eddie all riled up and huffy, his face flushed, eyes and mouth sharp and so fucking fun. Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Exactly,” he said, gesturing with his whole hand like he did when he was Making A Point. Another thing about Eddie that Richie loved. “Did you not get enough of it then? Besides, we’ll have like, 4 days, tops, that my mom will actually let me out and not force family time. I’m not wasting them on video games! We can find something fun!”

“Something fun? In Derry, Maine?” Richie asked incredulously. Eddie opened his mouth but quickly shut it, pouting. Richie rested his chin in his hand, smiling wide. “Don’t worry your cute little head, Spaghetti,” he teased, loving the red flush that was noticeable even through the shitty connection. “We’ll think of something. Or Bill will.”

“Don’t call me that!” Eddie hissed. “You know I fucking hate it.”

“You love it,” Richie replied. “Now, we can argue more later, but these midterm papers aren’t going to write themselves!”

“It’s not like you’re actually gonna write them either.” Richie pressed a hand to his heart, gasping in faux shock.

“Edward Spaghedward! Are you suggesting that I don’t do my school work?”

“I’m not suggesting anything,” he retorted. “I’m straight up saying it. Now shut up and let me get back to work.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Richie drawled. “Good luck, Eds!”

“Don’t call me--” Richie snickered. He knew he was going to get shit from Eddie for disconnecting on him, but he really did need to focus on his midterm papers. And he could talk to Eddie for hours. They’d done it before. Hell, some of his favorite times were face timing and just listening to Eddie breathe. It was really weird, being away from pretty much everyone, but specifically being away from Eddie.

Eddie was his best friend. Bill and Stan were also his best friends, but it was different. He couldn’t pinpoint why exactly. It was probably just Eddie. He did that to people, Richie assumed. Consumed them with his cuteness and witty remarks and hypochondriac bullshit. Because he _missed_ Eddie. Like, heart hurting in chest missed him. His heart hurt when he thought of any of the Losers, missed all of them something fierce, but it had to be the best friend connection that made it hard to even say goodbye to Eddie. To hang up from a 3 hour long call. Every single time they hung up, Richie missed Eddie immediately.

His phone chirped and he looked down, smiling when he saw a long ranting text from Eddie about etiquette per video calls and why Richie was a piece of shit. God, he missed that little asshole. He was creating a disgusting mix of emojis, sure to send Eddie into another rant, when his roommate got back. The guy’s name was Lucas and he had his girlfriend, Max, Richie thought, with him. She had a longboard under her arm and her red hair was up in a messy bun. Richie liked her because she reminded him of Bev. She was indifferent to him because he reminded her of Lucas’ best friend Mike, who was, apparently, “a little bitch.”

“Wassup, Sinclair,” Richie called, hitting send. He hung over the side of his loft, peering down. Lucas was pulling out some notebooks, setting up on the futon they had crammed under his loft, and he shot Richie a small smile.

“Not much, Tozier. You seem pretty chipper for someone who I know has not done an iota of work on any of your midterm shit.”

“He was talking to Eddie, duh,” Max replied, popping her bubblegum with a smack. Lucas laughed and nodded.

“I was,” Richie said, a little surprised. “How’d you know?” She rolled her eyes, but was smiling softly.

“You literally talk to him at the same time every week.” She gave him a pointed look like it Meant Something.

“He likes punctuality,” Richie replied. Max and Lucas shared a look, smiling at each other. “Alright, what? Do I have something on my face?”

“You’re cute,” Max said with a shake of her head.

“Max,” Richie said, scandalized, “Your boyfriend is _right there_! He can’t know of our illicit romance!” She rolled her eyes so hard Richie thought she might sprain something.

“You’re whipped, Richie,” Lucas replied. “So I’m not worried.” Richie looked at him, confused.

“Huh?”

“You,” Max said, pointing at him, “Are. Whipped.” She made a whip cracking noise, giggling with Lucas. There was a joke here he was missing.

“By who? My imaginary girlfriend?” Richie held out his hands, truly at a loss. Lucas gave him a weird face, snorting.

“Girlfriend?”

“Hey!” Richie scoffed, offended. “I could have a girlfriend! I date!” Lucas opened his mouth to reply, but Max gently put her hand on his arm, stopping him. She looked at Richie, brow furrowed.

“We meant Eddie,” she said, serious. Richie’s jaw dropped and, for once in his life, he was speechless. “Are you guys… not dating?”

“What?” Richie spluttered. “No! Eddie’s gay, yeah, and absolutely adorable, but we’re not dating.”

“Since when?” Lucas asked. “He’s pretty much all you talk about.”

“No--”

“Dude,” Lucas said, cutting him off. “Don’t even deny it.” Richie wanted to. Wanted to say he didn’t _only_ talk about Eddie. But, looking back, he realized that he _did_. He talked about Eddie a lot. Max was chewing on her lip thoughtfully, watching Richie like she was trying to figure him out.

“I mean,” Richie stammered, “He’s my best friend. I miss him.”

“Didn’t you say your friend Bill was your best friend?”

“Don’t forget Stan the Man,” Lucas added.

“What I mean,” Max pressed, “Is that you don’t talk about Bill all the time. Or Stan. You always say ‘I wanna show this to Eddie!’ or ‘Eddie would hate that!’” Richie swallowed. “You--” She huffed, cutting herself off. Lucas sat next to her and threaded their fingers together.

“I mean, it’s always been different with Eddie,” Richie said softly. “He’s always… I dunno. He’s always on my mind and I fucking miss him a lot. And,” he said, pointing at Max to cut her off, “Before you ask, yes, it’s different with Bill and Stan. I miss them too, but Eddie was like, my constant in school. Everyone else went off and started dating, so us bachelors stuck together.” When he looked back to Max and Lucas, they were looking at him with so much pity it was annoying. “Oh my god, now what?”

“I think you like Eddie, Richie,” Max murmured.

“But,” he faltered, “But I like girls. I know that.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t also like boys,” she said. Lucas nodded.

“Yeah,” he added. “It’s called bisexual.” Richie gaped as his world shifted around him. That was… a thing? He could like both?

“Wait, wait, wait.” He held out a hand, gripping some of his hair with the other. “You can like _both_?”

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Max said. “But yeah. Bisexual people are attracted to two or more genders.”

“More?” Richie asked.

“I’m not having the gender conversation with you until you figure out _this_ shit.”

“If you want, I can hook you up with one of our friends from Hawkins,” Lucas suggested. “He’s bi.”

“Steve and Billy are _not_ the people to have this conversation with,” Max scoffed. “They’re still figuring out their own shit.”

“Fair point,” Lucas conceded. Richie ignored them, focusing on this fucking life changing revelation. He could like girls _and_ boys. Suddenly, things made so much more sense.

“I-- I--” He stuttered, unsure how to form the questions he wanted to ask. “Fuck,” he breathed out. “_Fuck_.” Because they were right. He liked Eddie. He fucking _loved_ Eddie. And once he thought about kissing him, it was like he couldn’t stop. Like there had been a shitty lock holding all of this in, and now that he had broken it, it flooded through him without a care. “I thought everyone thought about him that way.”

“Huh?”

“Like, that he was cute and like, attractive and funny and always wanted to be around him. He’s a little spitfire and I just--” He rubbed a hand over his mouth. “Like, he lotions like a mofo. His skin is always so soft. Who wouldn’t wanna touch it? Plus, he’s the only person I know who never has chapped lips.”

“And you seriously didn’t realize you were into him until now?” Max laughed a little, rolling her eyes. “Oh my god, Tozier.”

“I can tell you with certainty,” Lucas said, voice flat, “That no one thinks of their ‘Best Friend’ that way. I have not once, in my life, ever thought that about Mike.”

“Well, I hear he’s a little bitch, so.”

“He’s such a little _bitch_!” Max whined. “Ugh! He’s--”

“Max.” Lucas cut her off with a look and she rolled her eyes. “Now, no one is denying that Mike is--”

“A lil’ bitch,” Richie whispered, getting a tired glare from Lucas.

“Are you guys done? I actually do need to study.” He gestured to the many notebooks that were spread out and Richie let out a groan.

“Such a goody two shoes.” Richie looked down when Max stood and grabbed his wrist.

“Think about what we talked about, yeah?” She smiled gently at him. “Go to the Queer Association group. They’ll have more things to help you.” Richie nodded and she patted his arm a few times before giving Lucas a kiss and heading out. Lucas went back to his studies and RIchie stared at the ceiling, reeling. He needed to talk to someone. He needed to talk to Stan.

“I’m gonna go on a walk,” he said. Lucas gave him a nod, pausing to furrow his brow.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” Richie waved him off. “Gonna call Stan actually.” He let out an amused puff and left, pulling out his phone. He pressed it to his ear and licked his lips.

“Hello, Stanley Uris speaking.”

“How are you already 40?”

“Richie.”

“Seriously, Staniel! You came out of the womb doing taxes.”

“Did you have a reason for calling me or…?”

“Uhm,” Richie swallowed, “Yeah. I, uh, do.”

“Rich?”

“It may have come to my attention,” he said, the words somehow getting stuck in his throat, “That I’m in love with Eddie. Like, in a romantic sexual way. Like, I wanna hit--”

“I get it,” Stan dead panned. He let out a long breath. “But, you finally figured it out?”

“I may be an idiot.”

“You _are_ an idiot.”

“I called you to help me calm down,” Richie whined. “Come on!”

“Calm down?”

“What the fuck am I gonna do?” His voice squeaked.

“Tell him?”

“No, no, no. He’d have let me know by now if he was interested in me.”

“...You would think.”

“I can’t. Maybe, maybe someday? But not anytime fucking soon that’s for sure.” They were both silent then. Stan knew that Richie just need him there, solid and steady, able to help hold him when he needed. He heard pages turning and smiled. “Are you reading?”

“I’m multitasking.”

“I get it,” Richie droned, “You’re busy.”

“Not too busy,” Stan said, voice light. “If you need to talk, I’m not too busy.” Richie smiled.

“Nah, it’s okay. I need sometime to myself, you know? We can talk later.”

“We _will_ talk later. Now, fuck off.”

“Love you too, Stan!” He yelled into the phone. Stan had definitely hung up before he had started to yell, but it never stopped him from doing it. He found that he had walked to the Student Center, weirdly enough, and he took it as a sign to go inside and find the Queer Associate Center inside. It was time to do some reading.


End file.
